[Gordon]

OS64 NS608596
In Castlemilk, just East of Machrie Drive, on knoll above pond.
Nothing now remains of Castlemilk, a much-altered 15th C. keep extended to form a grand mansion. The original keep latterly formed the entrance block to the 19th C castellated structure, and was of three storeys with an added parapet and garret. The knoll was once separated from the top of the ridge by a deep ditch, filled in the 19thC.

Originally these lands were known, as "Cassiltoun", being the castle town of the parish of Carmunnock, and an ancient motte in the woodland to the east at the head of a waterfall is one of several fortified sites within the old parish.
One Anselm owned the parish then his son Henricus de Cormannock, then the Comyns, passing to the Douglasses after the Wars of Independence. They were forfeited in 1455, and the estate passed to the Hamiltons of Rossavon, who feud the Cassiltoun portion to the Stewarts of Castlemilk (Dumfriesshire). They built the castle later in the 15thC, selling their Dumfriesshire estate in 1579 to Lord Maxwell, and transferring the name to their new home. It was the 18thC before Castlemilk was used confidently in local records as the name of the estate, and by this time the Stewarts had acquired the remainder of the parish, so that the church at Carmunnock was now regarded as being dependant on the goodwill and financial support of the family. They also held lands at Fynnart (Greenock), Torrance (E.K.), and in 1706 inherited the large estate of Milton on the north of the City. This inheritance was dependant on them including the name Crawfurd in their own, and since by this time they had adopted the French style of their surname, and had married into the family of Stirling of Keir, their name had become Crawfurd Stirling Stuart.

The Milton estate was large, including the modern areas of Balornock, Barmulloch, Milton, Hyndland, and Cowcaddens. This estate was particularly rich in coal and was feud to the city, much increasing the wealth of the family.
In 1938 the last Laird died. The estate was sold to the city and from 1948 the castle was used as a children's home. This closed in the early 60's, and after much public and media protest the castle was demolished in 1969. Lady Helen, a surviving daughter of the last Laird died in a nursing home in Carmunnock in the 70's. Castlemilk was one of the houses which claims to have provided lodging for Mary Queen of Scots the night before the Battle of Langside (1568), which she lost and then fled to England. A room in the house was named Queen Mary's Room to commemorate the alleged event.

Fireplace depicting the Battle of Orleans 1429

The woodlands, which remain in the area, are the remnants of the park surrounding the house, and abound in spooky tales. There were reported sightings of a white lady near a bridge over the burn, a green lady, and an ancient Scottish soldier who allegedly fired a ghostly arrow into the back of the head of a local, causing stitches to be inserted!

Then there was "The Mad Major" who used to ride by moonlight and at speed up to the doors of the house, and was believed to represent the return of Captain William Stirling Stuart from Waterloo. It is reported that the Major's horse was buried in the grounds.

[AJR]

Interesting to note the link to Castlemilk in Dumfriesshire (of which I have an old postcard).

Thanks for taking the time to put this here.

[Gordon]

Can you send me a scan?

[Duncan]

Very interesting place thanks for adding it!

[Gordon]

And just to tie this one together, here's the Carmunnock entry;

CARMUNNOCK CASTLE
City of Glasgow
OS64 NS600570
At or near Carmunnock village, 1 mile east of Busby and north of the A726, by the B759 or B766.
Carmunnock from Caer Mynnock, the monk's fort.
The Exchequer Rolls confirm that the Douglasses had two castles in this parish, the sites are now lost. There are some indicators though. It may be that they occupied the sites latterly occupied by Busby Peel and Castlemilk, though it is more likely that other sites were used.
When describing Busby Peel, Rev. D. Ure in ' The History of Rutherglen and East Kilbride' of 1793 stated that the last vestiges of an older castle stood about a quarter of a mile to the west. This corresponds with the motte known as Castlehill. I now know that this was a fortified residence of the Stewarts of Minto, and unconnected with Carmunnock, since the parish/barony boundary changed at some point, and this site was not originally in the parish.
Of twin mottes astride the Kittoch water, east of Busby, he names that to the north as Castlehill, though there was no evidence of a building.
This site is described as being the end portion of a ridge, which has been separated from the main section by a ditch, 57ft wide and 11ft deep. This ditch is still very visible.
That to the south known as Roughhill supported remains of a rubble built building measuring 73ft by 63ft, which was being used as a source of stone for local dyke building. During stone collection, workers exposed a subterranean vault, which they cleared of rubbish in the hope of finding something of value. They were disappointed, and filled in the vault when finished. The hills stand 200yds apart, the area between is known as Castleflat.
Ure could not give any of the history of these sites, though it does shed a little light on possible sites of the two Douglas castles with definite evidence of two of the three having supported stone buildings. It could be that the second Castlehill site, with no stonework, is what remains of one home of the original Norman Lord, Anselm. The estate was then held by the Comyns, until dispossessed by Robert 1 who granted it to the Douglasses. They were forfeited in 1455, and the Hamiltons of Rossavon inherited. They divided the estate, and feud the Cassiltoun portion to the Stewarts of Castlemilk, Dumfrieshire. The Hamiltons later built Busby Peel.

and a new site, (not yet published..sssh CoS 4 ? )

CATHKIN HOUSE
South Lanarkshire
Ruin or Site OS64 NS627588
2 miles south of Rutherglen, west of A749 East Kilbride Rd, North of B759 Cathkin Rd on Menteith Place, at Cathkin House Nursing Home.
The present mansion dating from 1799 replaced earlier buildings which may have been fortified. This may have been the site of one of two castles owned in the early 15thc by the Douglasses within the parish of Carmunnock. In 1710 one earlier form of the house was described as one of the principal houses of Lanarkshire.
The estate of Cathkin was formed from a collection of small portions including some Templar lands and belonged to the Douglasses in the early 15thc. In 1414 Archibald the Grim, Lord of Bothwell and Lord of Galloway added Cathkin to an endownment to the Collegiate Church of Bothwell. The Douglasses were forfeited in 1455.
Carmunnock thereafter passed to the Hamiltons who inhabited an early house here which was the centre of an estate separate to their other lands in Carmunnock. They held it until the close of the 17thc, when it was divided between the families of three heiresses.
The mansion was then occupied by Dunlops, then the McLae family. In 1790 it passed to the Ewings who assumed the name McLae on inheriting. They pulled down the old house, and built the present mansion in 1799. Compare Carmunnock.

[Duncan]

Was the new site one of your findings?

[Gordon]

Yes.

[Duncan]

Congratulations! Did Good!

[Gordon]

Found lots more.

[AJR]

I'll put it here and you can enlarge the pic and save it to your files.

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